Aspergers?

[Dorasmum]

Can anyone tell me what they know about aspergers (sp?) syndrome? I have a friend who's 3 grandsons have been diagnosed with it. One is 19 who it was previously thought since he was little had ADD. The other two are under 10 and are doing exercises and activities to encourage better social skills with their Mum. I could google it but thought I might get a better picture from someone with personal knowledge of it if there is someone here who does.

Thanks..Em

[Greenmama2AJ]

I'm not an expert - my LO is only 15 mnths old. But I am a highschool teacher and have dealt with many Aspergers kids.

From what I understand - Aspergers is on the autism spectrum but doesn't have the severe behaviour and retardation that autism can have.

The students I have known with Aspergers are quite intelligent. They have difficulties with change - for instance, announcing that we are going to leave the classroom to work outside might evoke a panic response. They need to have a stable routine and things like a relief teacher really throw them for a spin. They are capable of writing neatly (even bordering on perfectionism - for instance, if they make a mistake they might need a whole new page to feel "right") and getting good grades, they often have trouble talking in public. In the students I knew it manifested as a form of severe shyness.

I think therapy must help a lot. Some of the children with Aspergers I knew were just lovely, had great senses of humour and you could tell they had made progress. I hope the therapy helps your friends grandkids

[JAK]

Aspergers is on the autism spectrum and generally only diagnosed after around 5yrs. The main difference between aspergers and high functioning autism is that aspergers doesn't have the speech delay (though this is under contention from many). It's true that many with aspergers have a high IQ, but they will still have difficulties with speech (they will usually take things literally, may speak with specific voice/intonation) and social. They will have difficulty with change, so advance warnings is usually a good idea.
The spectrum is so wide, that although there are common features (social and communication difficulties) there are so many differences too. Ds is autistic and is in many ways so similar to his friends with aspergers but still has the speech delay (hence the autism diagnosis and not aspergers). I have found that all seem to work off a small set of rules of how to behave in all situations and these rules are very strict. It's this lack of adaptability that causes many issues and I think alot of the anxieties arise from this.

[Dorasmum]

Ok that does explain a lot thanks ladies, I was thinking I wonder how many undiagnosed adults there are with degrees of this- I know people with similar traits who have difficulties socially.
I think the 19 year old is on a pension now too, so has had trouble with study and work. I remember him as a child. Quite frankly he was at times horrible, but that could have just been my impression as a teenager myself- I regarded any michevious little boy as a brat. He has a lovely family but he was always in trouble and into everything...hence the ADD. He probably found life terribly difficult and acted it out because nobody knew what was going on.

I guess it's actually quite common then? And maybe becoming more recently more recognised?

Em

[JAK]

I guess it's actually quite common then? And maybe becoming more recently more recognised?

It probably is more common that we all realise, but it's also recognised and understood more. Aspergers didn't really become recognised till the 80s (from memory) and it's fairly recent that it's well recognised as a spectrum, so the different degrees is being accepted now.

I think not knowing would be difficult for both the child and the family, because neither would then really understand the whys of the behaviours.